Dum

[Ontario Diver]

DU has also been used as component of Chobam Armour on occassion.

APFSDS is the usual acronym (Armour Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot). They are dart shaped because a sabot (which is french for "shoe") cannot grip a rifled barrel. Hence M1 tanks are smooth bored. the round looks like an hourglass cut into three pieces (the sabots) with a large dart stuck through the middle (the penetrator).

This style of round is responsible for the longest range tank kill by another tank. That was done in the Gulf War by a British Tank on an Iraqi Tank. Distance was in excess of 5000 meters. BTW, this round travels just over 800 meters (ballistically flat) before being affected by gravity. Speed is 2km per second.

DU is also used on most 20/30mm rounds and there are rumours of it being used in .50 rounds in the Barett Material Sniper rifle.

 

[trymixdiver]

Phalanx Close-In Weapons System

Description: Fast-reaction, rapid-fire 20-millimeter gun system.

Features:

Phalanx provides ships of the U.S. Navy with a "last-chance" defense against anti-ship missiles and littoral warfare threats that have penetrated other fleet defenses. Phalanx automatically detects, tracks and engages anti-air warfare threats such as anti-ship missiles and aircraft, while the Block 1B's man-in-the-loop system counters the emerging littoral warfare threat. Phalanx accomplishes these engagements via an advanced search and track radar system integrated with a stabilized, forward looking infra-red (FLIR) detector. This integrated FLIR provides Phalanx with a unique multi-spectral detect and track capability for littoral warfare threats and dramatically improves the existing anti-air warfare capability.

Phalanx is the only deployed close-in weapon system capable of autonomously performing its own search, detect, evaluation, track, engage and kill assessment functions. Phalanx also can be integrated into existing Combat Systems to provide additonal sensor and fire-control capability.

Background:

The Phalanx Close-In Weapons System (CIWS) underwent operational tests and evaluation onboard USS Bigelow in 1977, and exceeded maintenance and reliability specifications. Phalanx production started in 1978 with orders for 23 USN and 14 Foreign Military Sales (FMS) systems.

General Characteristics

Primary Function: Anti-ship missile defense
Weight: 12,500 pounds - Later models: 13,600 pounds (6,120 kg)
Range: Classified
Gun Type: M-61A1 Gatling
Type of Fire: 3,000 rounds per minute - Later models: 4,500 rounds/min
Magazine Capacity: 989 rounds - Later models: 1,550 rounds
Caliber: 20mm
Ammunition: Armor Piercing Discarding Sabot (APDS), Depleted Uranium sub-caliber penetrator. Penetrator changed to Tungsten 1988.
Sensors: Self-contained search and track radar with integrated FLIR
Date Deployed:
1980 (aboard USS Coral Sea)
Block 1: 1988 (aboard USS Wisconsin)
Block 1B: 1999 (aboard USS Underwood)

 

[trymixdiver]

I dont think its gonna fit on the "Uncle Pug" try something smaller PUG.

Andy

 

[Ontario Diver]

THe British navy have a nickname for the Phalanx. They call them "Daleks" --- Know why?




















Named after look-alike cyborg things from a BBC SF show from the 60's called "Dr. Who" - OK the old folks knew that!

 

[trymixdiver]

Sounds like a Dr. Who reference to me. Loved that show!

Andy

 

[Zept]

Ontario Diver said...
Named after look-alike cyborg things from a BBC SF show from the 60's called "Dr. Who" - OK the old folks knew that!

And there was I thinking, "Everyone knows what a Dalek is, so there must be more to it than a visual similarity."

I must be old.


Zept